Investigates the profile of mental health problems among Arab children living in the Gaza Strip using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). High unemployment in the Gaza Strip as well as poverty, family overcrowding, and a growing population of young children all contribute to child psychopathology. Study participants numbered more than 300 children in 4 age bands, from 3 to 16 years old. Relevant versions of the SDQ were completed by parents (for all age bands), teachers (excluding pre-school), and adolescents (the 16-year-old group). Findings indicated that some of the SDQ subscales could yield ambiguous results because of different understandings of normal development. For example, where aspects of emotional development are considered the norm in Arab culture, they might be defined as pathological in Western culture. However, the SDQ overall was shown to be a promising screening instrument in different cultural populations. Future comparative research should include panels of experts familiar with both cultures and should investigate in more depth the validity of Western diagnostic frameworks as well as different methods of assessing child psychopathology.
